TV host mocks leader

NICOLA Sturgeon suffered a TV nightmare as she was mistaken for a comedian then compared to Saddam Hussein.

The SNP leader hoped to boost her international profile by appearing on the American prime-time chat programme The Daily Show.

But she was left red-faced after being billed on the programme’s website as a “Scottish comic”.

And things worsened when host Jon Stewart mocked her with a series of digs during a live interview.

He even likened her to Iraq tyrant Saddam after she moaned her party did not bag all 59 seats in Scotland during the General Election.

And he doubled over with laughter when Sturgeon claimed that her homeland had “invented the modern world”.

The host also goaded Scotland’s First Minister over her national dish, joking: “What is haggis? Why would anyone eat that?”

To add to the humiliation, Stewart wrongly dubbed her party the “Scottish Nationalist Party” in front of millions of viewers.

The spats started after Sturgeon said her party aides were probing how the SNP only bagged 56 of 59 seats in the General Election last month.

Stony-faced Sturgeon, 44, who resembles Janette Tough of Scottish comedy duo The Krankies, frowned: “I’ve ordered an inquiry into how come we didn’t win the other three. It’s reporting to me directly.”

Stewart, 52, butted in: “What? You think you’re Saddam Hussein? You get 99%? Look 56 out of 59 is pretty good.”

The telly star goaded her further after he rubbed it in that Westminister still called the economic shots in Scotland. Stewart said: “So you have pledged for Scotland greater independence, but now that has crashed head-on with the reality that Westminster still controls the purse strings, still believes in austerity.”

He then bizarrely added: “My question to you is this, First Minister: What is haggis? What is that? Why would anyone eat that?” Sturgeon took the jab on the chin and quipped: “Haggis is delicious. It is spicy, it is tasty.” And she won backing on social media. Ashley Follmer tweeted: “I wish America had more delightful politicians such as Scotland’s Nicola Sturgeon.”